Recipient List is empty when using an Access Query datasource

[Jeff]

Hello,

I am using Access 2002 & Word 2002.

I have a query in Access based on two related tables.
When I run the query in Access it works fine and produces
the desired results. However in Access when I select
TOOLS, OFFICE LINKS, MERGE IT WITH WORD and go through the
Mail Merge task pane, the Recipient List is empty. If I
select TOOLS, OFFICE LINKS, ANALYZE IT WITH EXCEL or
PUBLISH IT WITH WORD the data is displayed properly. Any
thoughts on why the data is not displaying in the
Recipient List when I select TOOLS, OFFICE LINKS, MERGE IT
WITH WORD??

Thanks for any thoughts you can send my way.

Jeff

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Jeff,

Does the underlying query use any wildcards, or do anything
else "unusual"?

If you start in Word, and use Tools/Envelopes and Mailings,
then display the Mail Merge toolbar: click the second button
from the left and select you Access *.mdb. Is your query in
the list? And if you select it, do you get anything
different?

I have a query in Access based on two related tables.
When I run the query in Access it works fine and produces
the desired results. However in Access when I select
TOOLS, OFFICE LINKS, MERGE IT WITH WORD and go through the
Mail Merge task pane, the Recipient List is empty. If I
select TOOLS, OFFICE LINKS, ANALYZE IT WITH EXCEL or
PUBLISH IT WITH WORD the data is displayed properly. Any
thoughts on why the data is not displaying in the
Recipient List when I select TOOLS, OFFICE LINKS, MERGE IT
WITH WORD??

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep
30 2003)
http://www.word.mvps.org

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[Jeff]

Hi Cindy,

Yes. The underlying query uses wildcards. After you said
this I went and removed the criteria, and the data did
display in the Recipient List in Word. However removing
the criteria in the query kind of defeats the purpose.
What is it about Wildcards that Word doesn't like???

Thanks for any insight you can pass along my way!

Jeff

 

[Cindy M -WordMVP-]

Hi Jeff,

Yes. The underlying query uses wildcards. After you said
this I went and removed the criteria, and the data did
display in the Recipient List in Word. However removing
the criteria in the query kind of defeats the purpose.
What is it about Wildcards that Word doesn't like???

Right, thanks for confirming my suspicion The problem
comes from an SQL language conflict. All versions of Access
prior to 2002 used ANSI-89; Access 2002 and later can use
ANSI-89 or ANSI-92. This setting is found in Tools/Options, I
think, and you'll find more information about ANSI-89 vs.
ANSI-92 in the Access help. Relevant in this case, is that
ANSI-89 uses * and ? while ANSI-92 uses % and _ (I think, but
I may be misremembering - it's in the Help)

On the mail merge side, in Word 2002 the new, default
connection method is OLE DB, which only understands ANSI-92.
So the wildcards you've been using aren't recognized, so
there are no matches (empty dynaset).

You basically have two choices: change the database to use
ANSI-92, or use a different connection method in Word. Only
you can decide which you should do The information on how
to change the connection method in Word can be found on my
website, in the Word 2002 section of the Mail Merge FAQ.

Cindy Meister
INTER-Solutions, Switzerland
http://homepage.swissonline.ch/cindymeister (last update Sep
30 2003)
http://www.word.mvps.org

This reply is posted in the Newsgroup; please post any follow
question or reply in the newsgroup and not by e-mail

 

[Jeff]

That is great information! Thanks for your help, Cindy.

Have a great day!

Jeff